# US 10,767,941 B2 · Method of forming a superhydrophobic layer on a motor vehicle heat exchanger housing and a heat exchanger incorporating such a housing

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- Number: US 10,767,941 B2
- Document ID: US10767941B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/132,052
- Filed: 2018-09-14
- Published: 2020-03-19
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2018-09-14
- Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Inventors: Jing He; Manfred Koberstein; Loren John Lohmeyer, III; Tim Van Evans
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10767941B2

## CPC

- F28F 13/18: by applying coatings, e.g. radiation-absorbing, radiation-reflecting; by surface treatment, e.g. polishing
- F28F 19/04: of rubber; of plastics material; of varnish
- C09D 5/1625: {organic}
- C09D 5/1681: {Antifouling coatings characterised by surface structure, e.g. for roughness effect giving superhydrophobic coatings or Lotus effect}
- F28F 2245/04: hydrophobic
- F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16)
- C09D: COATING COMPOSITIONS, e.g. PAINTS, VARNISHES OR LACQUERS; FILLING PASTES; CHEMICAL PAINT OR INK REMOVERS; INKS; CORRECTING FLUIDS; WOODSTAINS; PASTES OR SOLIDS FOR COLOURING OR PRINTING; USE OF MATERIALS THEREFOR (cosmetics A61K; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces, in general, B05D; staining wood B27K5/02; glazes or vitreous enamels C03C; natural resins, French polish, drying-oils, driers, turpentine, per se, C09F; polishing compositions other than French polish, ski waxes C09G; adhesives or use of materials as adhesives C09J; materials for sealing or packing joints or covers C09K3/10; materials for stopping leaks C09K3/12; processes for the electrolytic or electrophoretic production of coatings C25D)

## Abstract

A method of forming a superhydrophobic layer on a motor vehicle heat exchanger housing includes the steps of flowing a precursor gas of a mixture of heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl, trimethoxysilane (HTMS) and a carrier gas into a reaction chamber and depositing the superhydrophobic layer on the motor vehicle heat exchanger housing by chemical vapor deposition. A heat exchanger having a heat exchanger housing with a superhydrophobic layer made by the chemical vapor deposition method is also disclosed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of forming a superhydrophobic layer on an aluminum heat exchanger housing, comprising:
preparing said aluminum heat exchanger housing for chemical vapor deposition;
placing said aluminum heat exchanger housing in a reaction chamber;
flowing a precursor gas of a mixture of (heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl) trimethoxysilane and a carrier gas into said reaction chamber; and
depositing and maintaining said superhydrophobic layer on an outer oxidized layer of said aluminum heat exchanger housing by chemical vapor deposition.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said preparing includes cleaning said aluminum heat exchanger housing with acetone.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein said preparing further includes cleaning said heat exchanger housing with ethanol after said cleaning of said aluminum heat exchanger with acetone.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein said preparing includes rinsing said aluminum heat exchanger housing with deionized water and then drying said aluminum heat exchanger housing.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein said preparing includes soaking said aluminum heat exchanger housing in a water bath following cleaning and rinsing in order to develop the outer oxidized layer on the aluminum heat exchanger housing.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, including using toluene as said carrier gas.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, including maintaining an environment within said reaction chamber at about 90° C. in temperature and about 101,325 Newtons/meter2 in pressure during said depositing.

### Claim 8

A motor vehicle heat exchanger, comprising:
an aluminum heat exchanger housing including an outer oxidized layer; and
a superhydrophobic layer on said outer oxidized layer of said aluminum heat exchanger housing made by chemical vapor deposition of a precursor gas of a mixture of (heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl) trimethoxysilane and a carrier gas.

### Claim 9

A method of forming a superhydrophobic layer on a motor vehicle heat exchanger housing, comprising:
preparing said heat exchanger housing for chemical vapor deposition;
placing said heat exchanger housing in a reaction chamber;
flowing a precursor gas of a mixture of (heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl) trimethoxysilane and a carrier gas into said reaction chamber; and
depositing said superhydrophobic layer on said heat exchanger housing by chemical vapor deposition by maintaining an environment within said reaction chamber at about 90° C. in temperature and about 101,325 Newtons/meter2 in pressure during said depositing.